“Our family is incredibly proud of my father for his selection as a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient,” said Jennifer Staubach Gates, a member of the Dallas City Council. “He has led and the example he always set for me, my siblings, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

In an interview with the Preston Hollow Advocate, she said, “Football was my dad’s job. And my parents were humble people. Obviously as you get older, you’re more aware that your dad had a unique career. Luckily, he was well-liked. You wanted to make them proud. You knew that your actions were reflective of them, and they were public figures.”

She told The Dallas Morning News that “Dad is a man of moral courage, a man devoted to his faith, family and country. He is a successful businessman who always taught us to put others, especially the underserved, before ourselves. And, of course, he also enjoyed some success playing football for our local NFL team.”